Happy Saturday, everybody! If you’re in the Northeast, I hope you’re not too shaken up after yesterday’s magnitude 4.8 earthquake. Speaking of, how often does the U.S. Geological Survey’s website update with info on recent earthquakes? Is it every … A.) 2.5 minutes, B.) 8 minutes, C.) 20 minutes or D.) 60 minutes? The answer’s at the end.

Keep this newsletter free to you by checking out today’s sponsor. I hate passwords and know you do, too. Use my link for 50% off Keeper Security, Komando HQ’s tested password manager, to remember them all for you. Our in-house IT genius, John, says, “It’s the best!” and he doesn’t say that about anything. Now, on to more tech smarts. — Kim

Ever received a text message from a number you don’t recognize? I get a lot of texts from unfamiliar numbers. Instead of replying, “Ahem, who dis?” I have a couple of hacks you’re gonna use time and time again.

PayPal P.I.

If you get a text from an unknown caller, mobile payment apps like Venmo, CashApp, Zelle and PayPal can help you put a name to that number.

💡 Copy and paste the unfamiliar number into the app. The mystery sender’s name might just pop up.

I tested this on a phone number for someone I knew had a Venmo account. Sure enough, their name showed up.

FYI, this only works if you have an account with one of those payment apps — and you have to hope the sender used their real name and number in the app, too. But hey, it's better than shooting in the dark.

The flipside: Be sure to disable your mobile payment app from sharing your name and phone number with others. The steps vary per app. In Venmo, open Settings > Friends and Social and toggle off Phone contacts.

What about blocked numbers?

You probably know dialing *67 hides your number from whoever you call. But you may not know there are numbers you can dial to respond to mystery callers.

Yep, just type *69 to trace the number of the last person who called you. It even works for anonymous or hidden calls, so you can get the phone number and exact time they called. Once you have that number, you can block it so they can't call you anymore.

✅ There are tons more codes and secrets you can use to hunt down who called. Sorry, no room to list them all here, so head to my website.

💀 My favorite way to answer spam calls? “Maricopa County morgue. You kill 'em, we chill ‘em.” I’m terrible …

Not many people need a printer anymore, but if you do, here are my picks for replacing ink or buying a new machine.

• If you print a lot, you can’t go wrong with an Epson EcoTank printer. We use them at the office!
• For a no-frills laser printer, this Brother model is solid for under $200, and it only uses black ink, which cuts down on costs.
• If you’re shopping for a new printer, always check out the ink costs before you buy — and where the ink is available. 123inkjets is a great resource for affordable ink.
• Of course, you should still do an ink cost comparison. 4inkjets is another good place for deals.
• To round out your search, try InkCartridges.com. Happy printing!

📻 See you on the radio: My national radio show is airing all weekend across the USA. With over 420 stations strong, find your closest one using our super-duper station locator map — or listen commercial-free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or in the Komando Community. Fun times!

💣 “Ocean’s 11”-worthy: Thieves stole $30 million from a cash storage facility in the Sylmar neighborhood of Los Angeles last Sunday. They snuck in through the roof and blasted their way out through a wall. How’d they get past security? Internet and cell jammers — just like the crooks who targeted my house!

🚨 Don’t take the bait: Scammers are mailing postcards and offering jobs as “Amazon Product Testers.” FYI, the real invites come from "Amazon Vine" — and they don’t pay. Hint: Search for the return address on the card. If it leads to somewhere like a shoe warehouse, it’s probably a scam.

Project Venom: Three F‑16 fighter jets are getting loaded up with self-flying tech at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The $50 million "Project Venom” exists to develop self-flying drone fleets that could team up with manned Air Force planes in battle.

Check your laundry room: Procter & Gamble is recalling 8.2 million bags of laundry pods made by Tide, Gain, Ace and Ariel from Sept. 2023 to Feb. 2024. A packaging flaw could let the bags split open near the zipper, exposing dangerous chemicals to kids. If you've got 'em, return 'em!

🪐 Share with your parent friends: The Snapchat+ Solar System feature is tearing apart teen friendships. It ranks how close you are to your friends based on how often you interact. Think you’re someone’s Mercury, only to find out you’re more of a Uranus? Upsetting for sure. Talk to your kids about this new feature — it’s important for their mental health.

🍪 I don’t want to watch “Bake Off:” Fix your streaming suggestions with these quick hacks.

The tax man cometh: This one’s important, folks! Links to file or ask for an extension if you need it.

I love a good prank: Who says you have to wait a whole year if you missed April Fools’? Some of my favorites (with steps!) here.

🛑 It’s urgent! Wait, no … it’s a scam. Watch your inbox for these suspicious subject lines.

I tested ‘em for you: Want to try an AI chatbot? I fed a few the same questions to see which came out on top.

Have a question for me? If it’s tech-related, I’m your gal. Drop me a line. I read every single note, even if I can’t respond to them all. FYI, I may answer your question on my national radio show or here in The Current.

🍍 Safety first: Business email compromise schemes steal billions from companies every year. Bright idea: Set up a “safe word” with anyone with finance access. If you ask an employee to make a big transaction on your behalf, it’s a no-go unless you say something like, “Transfer the cash. Pineapple.”

See ya: You've been added to a group text and muting it isn't enough. If you have an iPhone, tap the thread, then select the group icon at the top. Scroll and tap Delete and Block this Conversation. Sorry, Android folks — the person who added you has to remove you.

Can the spam: You can set up rules in your inbox so your uncle’s rants or high school friend’s pyramid scheme emails are automatically filed away in a folder of your choosing. In Outlook, Gmail or Apple Mail, go to your filters and look for an option like “Skip the inbox.”

Buzz off: Your Amazon Echo will hold on to your voice recordings for analysis — unless you tell it not to. From the app on your phone, choose More > Settings > Alexa Privacy > Review Voice History.

And I bet you do, too. There’s a good chance you’re using weak passwords and dealing with a mountain of logins you can’t remember. That’s why you need Keeper Security.

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You can securely store private data like files, IDs and credit cards, too! There’s even a way to easily and securely share passwords with family, friends and colleagues. And if you run a business, Keeper makes it easy to deploy password security to every employee on every device.

That’s why it’s the password manager I use and trust. Keeper has over 275,000 five-star reviews! Sign up today for 50% off personal and family plans and 30% off business plans.

I thought this was quite humorous.

The answer: It’s A.) 2.5 minutes, B.) 8 minutes and C.) 20 minutes. In California, there are so many seismology sensors, it takes just 2.5 minutes to register and update on the USGS website. In the rest of the U.S., it takes 8 minutes; worldwide, it takes 20 minutes. Btw, the best post on X I saw about yesterday’s quake said, “Actually, what you just felt was a shift in vibes.”

🤝 Forget trying to remember all those freakin’ passwords. Use this link for 50% off my password manager pick, Keeper Security. You’ll be so, so glad you cut out the headache of writing down or remembering them. I am!

See you right back here tomorrow, friend. I have the best shows streaming you don’t want to miss, all in the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim